Canton Bans Smoking In Downtown Public Areas

CANTON, GA — If you're in downtown Canton and thinking of lighting up a cigarette while enjoying an afternoon in the park, you will have to get your kicks elsewhere, as the city of Canton has prohibited smoking in public areas in its downtown district.

The City Council at its May 17 meeting voted to amend its ordinance to expand the areas where smoking is prohibited. The amendment now bans smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, in or on city buildings, sidewalks, city parks, city playgrounds, city parking lots and streets within Canton's Central Business District. It went into effect immediately.

Warnings will be issued initially, but a first violation will be subject to a fine of up to $50. A second offense within a calendar year could be subject to a fine of up to $100 and a third offense could be subject to a fine of $250, the city notes.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here)

City Council leaders voted 5-1, with Councilman Nick Estes opposing, to enact the change. Estes said while he supports clean air, he struggles with the idea of creating an ordinance "that increases the government footprint on determining how our citizens choose to live their lives."

"I see this as a distraction for our police officers to enforce or another ordinance to add to the abundance of ordinances we already have," he said on his Facebook page.

During the debate, Council member Sandy McGrew said she believed the change would also help with the problem of littering of cigarette and cigar butts, according to meeting minutes. The map below outlines Canton's Central Business where the ban would be in effect:

City spokesperson Angela Thompson said Canton Code Enforcement officers have distributed literature informing businesses how this change could impact them. She also told Patch that the city has informed its social media followers and newsletter subscribers about the change.

By comparison, the city of Woodstock has at least one smoke-free public area: the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater, said Parks and Recreation Director Preston Pooser. Woodstock Community Development Director Brantley Day said the city also bans patrons from smoking within sidewalk cafes.

For Mayor Gene Hobgood, the move towards a smoke-free downtown area is a "great" one for Canton. While he did not have the opportunity to vote on the ordinance, Hobgood said he believes the change will help make Canton's air quality become much cleaner.

"It's really a health situation," he said.

Hobgood, who is in his third term as mayor of Canton, said residents are aware of the dangers smoking has on their health and the wellbeing of the people around them. While there may be some people who won't agree with the city's decision, he notes there are some people who would welcome the chance to venture into downtown and not worry about walking through a cloud of smoke on the sidewalk.

For example, he notes one building on North Street often has people waiting outside to be seated, and the city has received complaints about cigarette butts being thrown on the ground in the area. While the idea of a ban has been tossed around for a while, Hobgood noted these latest complaints really got the ball rolling on Canton taking action.

Residents should note that this change only affects public property, and does not regulate what a business owner can or can't allow within the boundaries of their establishment.

“Public property belongs to everybody, and it out to be as healthy as possible," Hobgood said.

You can read the entire ordinance by clicking here.

Image via Shutterstock